1. In the space below, describe the stasis at the beginning of Split Second. In other words, “Where are we?” “When is it (time, day, and year)?” “Who are the people involved?” “What is the dramatic situation in which the characters find themselves as the play unfolds?”
The play takes place in New York City. The main character is Val Johnson, a black police officer. Val's father, Rusty, and Val's wife, Alea, are characters that Val confides in and help shape his final decision by the end of the play. Parker is the officer set to investigate the incident that occurs in the play. The dramatic situation that arises is the killing of a white kid by a black officer and the consequences of the action. 2. What is the intrusion that causes the stasis to be broken and the dramatic action to develop, often at an increasingly rapid pace, to the end of the play? Be careful when citing the intrustion, it may not be where you initially think it is.
The intrusion occurs when Parker is questioning Val. Val lies about the shooting that he was apart of for the first time. From there the dramatic question is raised and left to be answered by the end of the play. 3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor which is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place?
This is the night that Val kills and unarmed white man, Willis. Val chased Willis, who was trying to steal someone's old car. He shoots him because of the vile words Willis says to Val about his race. Words that Val has probably heard many times before. 4. State the dramatic questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrusion.)
The dramatic question is will Val lie or tell the truth? Some follow up questions are the repercussions if he tells the truth? What are the repercussions if he doesn't tell the truth? 5. Use Val to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, that is, dramatic actions that are taken. Examine what Val wants (NOTE: In Split Second the wants of Val are in flux and he is being swayed by his father, his wife, his friend, and his colleague at work. His wants seem to change as the play progresses). The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that the character encounters.
At first, Val just wants to get away with what he has done. Parker becomes Val's obstacle against that when he begins doubting and questioning Val's side of the events, representing a me against society. Society in this case being the law. After talking to Charlie, Val beings to regret what he's done. It isn't until Val talks to Rusty that he finally begins to want to do the right thing. When talks to Alea again, he questions every action he took on the night of the shoot. Val wants to tell the truth, but he isn't ready to face the consequences for it. This is a me against myself sort of conflict. He struggles with this until the very end of the play when he finally lies on the stand. 6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Split Second.
The first theatrical moment of the play occurs during Val and Alea's first talk about the incident. Here we learn about a moment in Val's past that had helped Val form his views on white people. This view could have contributed to his decision to kill Willis. Another theatrical moment is when Val first talks to Rusty. In this scene, we learn how Rusty's character and past affected Val as a child and how it affects him now. The other theatrical scene is when Val, Rusty, and Alea are all talking before the hearing. We see how Rusty's words to Val as a child helped Val to justify his opinions about white people. We also learn a bit of what was going through Val's mind when he pulled the trigger. 7. Provide at least three examples of images in Split Second. How does the title of the play help us understand the images in the play? (Remember Ball says that, “An image is the use of something we know that tells us something we don’t know.” He goes on to say that images invoke and expand, rather than define and limit.”)
I think one image is the badge. For many, it just means you are a police officer and you have a certain authority over others. In the play, Rusty explains that the badge is the oath you take when you become a cop to do the right thing. Another image could be the trigger. Val said he couldn't remember ever even pulling it. The trigger symbolizes life and death and Val said he couldn't remember killing Willis, only knew that he did. Another image could be the old car. Willis often mentioned how unnecessary all the action was over an old car. At the end of the argument, Willis lost his life. The car kind of symbolizes how much one mistake that isn't even worth the risk can alter ones life forever. 8. Ordinarily, there are many themes in most plays. List the themes in Split Second.
Racism is major theme in the play, morality is another theme, as well as supremacy and justice. 9. Most American plays have something to do with family and/or family relationships. What does family have to do with the dramatic action in Split Second?
Val's relationship with his father plays a major role in this play. At first, one can see how much Rusty's opinion means to Val. Rusty was a great cop and its assumable that Val wanter to be just like him. Though, even after Rusty wholeheartedly disagrees and is disappointed in Val, Val still hopes his father cares enough to call him. Towards the end of the play, we see how much of Rusty's views years ago shaped what Val followed. While Rusty claims he wouldn't have made the same mistakes as Val, it was Rusty's words that played a part in Val pulling the trigger.
The play takes place in New York City. The main character is Val Johnson, a black police officer. Val's father, Rusty, and Val's wife, Alea, are characters that Val confides in and help shape his final decision by the end of the play. Parker is the officer set to investigate the incident that occurs in the play. The dramatic situation that arises is the killing of a white kid by a black officer and the consequences of the action.
2. What is the intrusion that causes the stasis to be broken and the dramatic action to develop, often at an increasingly rapid pace, to the end of the play? Be careful when citing the intrustion, it may not be where you initially think it is.
The intrusion occurs when Parker is questioning Val. Val lies about the shooting that he was apart of for the first time. From there the dramatic question is raised and left to be answered by the end of the play.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor which is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place?
This is the night that Val kills and unarmed white man, Willis. Val chased Willis, who was trying to steal someone's old car. He shoots him because of the vile words Willis says to Val about his race. Words that Val has probably heard many times before.
4. State the dramatic questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrusion.)
The dramatic question is will Val lie or tell the truth? Some follow up questions are the repercussions if he tells the truth? What are the repercussions if he doesn't tell the truth?
5. Use Val to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, that is, dramatic actions that are taken. Examine what Val wants (NOTE: In Split Second the wants of Val are in flux and he is being swayed by his father, his wife, his friend, and his colleague at work. His wants seem to change as the play progresses). The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that the character encounters.
At first, Val just wants to get away with what he has done. Parker becomes Val's obstacle against that when he begins doubting and questioning Val's side of the events, representing a me against society. Society in this case being the law. After talking to Charlie, Val beings to regret what he's done. It isn't until Val talks to Rusty that he finally begins to want to do the right thing. When talks to Alea again, he questions every action he took on the night of the shoot. Val wants to tell the truth, but he isn't ready to face the consequences for it. This is a me against myself sort of conflict. He struggles with this until the very end of the play when he finally lies on the stand.
6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Split Second.
The first theatrical moment of the play occurs during Val and Alea's first talk about the incident. Here we learn about a moment in Val's past that had helped Val form his views on white people. This view could have contributed to his decision to kill Willis. Another theatrical moment is when Val first talks to Rusty. In this scene, we learn how Rusty's character and past affected Val as a child and how it affects him now. The other theatrical scene is when Val, Rusty, and Alea are all talking before the hearing. We see how Rusty's words to Val as a child helped Val to justify his opinions about white people. We also learn a bit of what was going through Val's mind when he pulled the trigger.
7. Provide at least three examples of images in Split Second. How does the title of the play help us understand the images in the play? (Remember Ball says that, “An image is the use of something we know that tells us something we don’t know.” He goes on to say that images invoke and expand, rather than define and limit.”)
I think one image is the badge. For many, it just means you are a police officer and you have a certain authority over others. In the play, Rusty explains that the badge is the oath you take when you become a cop to do the right thing. Another image could be the trigger. Val said he couldn't remember ever even pulling it. The trigger symbolizes life and death and Val said he couldn't remember killing Willis, only knew that he did. Another image could be the old car. Willis often mentioned how unnecessary all the action was over an old car. At the end of the argument, Willis lost his life. The car kind of symbolizes how much one mistake that isn't even worth the risk can alter ones life forever.
8. Ordinarily, there are many themes in most plays. List the themes in Split Second.
Racism is major theme in the play, morality is another theme, as well as supremacy and justice.
9. Most American plays have something to do with family and/or family relationships. What does family have to do with the dramatic action in Split Second?
Val's relationship with his father plays a major role in this play. At first, one can see how much Rusty's opinion means to Val. Rusty was a great cop and its assumable that Val wanter to be just like him. Though, even after Rusty wholeheartedly disagrees and is disappointed in Val, Val still hopes his father cares enough to call him. Towards the end of the play, we see how much of Rusty's views years ago shaped what Val followed. While Rusty claims he wouldn't have made the same mistakes as Val, it was Rusty's words that played a part in Val pulling the trigger.